Governor pays obeisance at Jain temple in Fatehgarh Sahib

A three-day annual fair began today at Mata Chakreshwari Devi Jain Temple here, a religious shrine of Jains. Thousands of Jain pilgrims from all over the country and abroad assemble at the temple every year to pay obeisance on full moon of Katrika.

Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, along with his family, paid obeisance at the shrine today. Talking to mediapersons Kataria said, “Mata Shri Chakreshwari Devi Temple is ancient and historical. I got the privilege of visiting the temple for the first time with my family.” Kataria said he obtained blessings at the temple to serve the people of Punjab.

Organising committee president Swatantar Kumar Jain said this was the only temple of Jains in the entire country where an idol of Mata Chakreshwari Devi was installed.

According to history, once Rajasthan faced a grave drought and the people were starving. A large number of devotees of Mata Chakreshwari Devi, mostly Khandelwal Jains, moved towards Punjab on their bullock carts with the idol of the Mata placed on one of the carts. This group on way stopped near Sirhind for rest. After a brief rest, the cart containing the idol of Mata Chakreshwari Devi did not go further despite best efforts of the people. After some time, they heard a voice from above to let the idol lie there, as it was the fittest place for the Mata. The devotees subsequently built a temple at that spot. Now a beautiful temple, an Amrit Kund and a residential complex for the stay of devotees exists here. A free dispensary service is provided for residents of the area at the temple.

Now not only Jains, but people from other faiths also visit this temple to pay obeisance. Chakreshwari Devi is supposed to have great powers and protects her devotees in the hour of crisis.

The Sikhs also hold this place in great reverence because Diwan Todar Mall, who was also a devotee of Mata Chakreshwari Devi, purchased land by offering gold coins for the cremation of two younger Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh, who were bricked alive at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib where now Gurdwara Jyoti Sarup is situated.